Q:Amanda asks: "How do I make a trendy watercolor background with the irregular wash look? I have tried over and over again with different colors, papers and techniques, but they always come out muddy or the paper warps."

A: I like using a larger brush for backgrounds - for this type of wash my favorite is a #18 round wash. Brush water to create the shape you want, and then drop color into one area at a time. The water on the paper will move the pigment and blend different color areas together. If your paper is warping, you might try taping the edges to your work surface or using a heavier weight paper (140 lb/ 300 gsm or more). if your colors are muddying, you might have too much water or be overworking the color. It's always best to experiment and practice until you find what works.

Maus has a tip for the Corner Bookmark tutorial: "Recycle! All you need is the corner of a used envelope, decorate (as flat as possible) and done! When you cut the corner of the envelope use decorative scissors and punch holes for a decorative look."